







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Eating leftovers during the week saves me some time. | |
| What’s their name? | |
| Okay, how long is it, do you know? | |
| Don't worry, I don't like having a very heavy breakfast. | |
| Depends on where you look. | |
| And sometimes they don't come home for days. | |
| You know tomorrow is my last day. | |
| But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | |
| You need to change planes at some point on the way. | |
| My sisters live nearby, they help her sometimes. | |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | |
| Excuse me sir, here are your drinks and the menu. | |
| Do we have any paper towels? | |
| Yes, of course I remember. | |
| What is it about? | |
| You sound like a mix of British and Australian. | |
| Yes, sorry, everything seems filthy, but believe me, it's not my fault! | |
| And it's hard to believe, but it's clean. | |
| And secondly, vets are so expensive! | |
| Good boy, Beary! See, he is just a little friend. | |